Vital
Results Standards forLesson
14
Theme: What about other nations? How does the United States measure up to the
world?State Vital Results Standards to which this lesson relates:

Communications
Reading Comprehension
1.3 Students read for meaning, demonstrating both initial understanding and
personal response to what is read. This is evident when students:
1.3.g. Analyze, interpret, and evaluate texts produced for a wide range of purposes
and audiences, including their cultural, political, and aesthetic contexts.

Reading Range of Text
1.4 Students comprehend and respond to a range of media, images, and text (e.g.,
poetry, narrative, information, technical) for a variety of purposes (e.g.,
reading for pleasure as well as reading to develop understanding and expertise).
This is evident when students:
1.4.c. Read primary and secondary sources

Reports
1.8 In written reports, students organize and convey information and ideas accurately
and effectively. This is evident when students:
1.8.j. Use a variety of strategies to develop the report; and
1.8.k. Organize text in a framework appropriate to purpose, audience, and content.

Information Literacy
1.11 Students use computers, telecommunications, and other tools of technology
to research, to gather information and ideas, and to represent information and
ideas accurately and appropriately.

Persuasive Writing
1.11 In persuasive writing, students judge, propose, and persuade. This is evident
when students:
1.11.e. Take an authoritative stand on a topic;
1.11.f. Support the statement with sound reasoning; and
1.11.g. Use a range of strategies to elaborate and persuade.

Research
1.17 Students use organizational systems to obtain information from various
sources (including libraries and the Internet). This is evident when students:
1.19.b. Develop an effective search strategy to satisfy their informational
needs;
1.19.c. Conduct effective searches for information and ideas;
1.19.d. Evaluate information for timeliness, relevance, bias, accuracy, quality,
and accessibility
1.19.e. Synthesize and organize information;
1.19.f. Present information in appropriate formats

Writing Dimensions
1.5 Students draft, revise, edit, and critique written products so that final
drafts are appropriate in terms of the following dimensions:
Purpose -- Intent is established and maintained within a given piece of writing.
Organization -- The writing demonstrates order and coherence.
Details -- The details contribute to development of ideas and information, evoke
images, or otherwise elaborate on or clarify the content of the writing.
Voice or Tone -- An appropriate voice or tone is established and maintained.

Writing Conventions
1.6 Students’ independent writing demonstrates command of appropriate
English conventions, including grammar, usage, and mechanics. This is evident
when students:
1.6.a. Use clear sentences, correct syntax, and grade-appropriate mechanics
so that what is written can be easily understood by the reader.

Information Literacy
1.18 Students use computers, telecommunications, and other tools of technology
to research, to gather information and ideas, and to represent information and
ideas accurately and appropriately.

Reasoning and Problem Solving
Problem Solving Process
2.2 Students use reasoning strategies, knowledge, and common sense to solve
complex problems related to all fields of knowledge. This is evident when students:
2.2.aa. Seek information from reliable sources, including knowledge, observation,
and trying things out;
2.2.cc. Consider, test, and justify more than one solution;
2.2.dd. Find meaning in patterns and connections (underlying concepts); and
2.2.aaa. Critically evaluate the validity and significance of sources and interpretations.

Personal Development
Informed Decisions
3.7 Students make informed decisions. This is evident when students:
3.7.c. Describe and explain their decisions based on evidence;
3.7.cc. Describe and explain their decisions based on and logical argument.

Civic and Social Responsibility
Continuity and Change
4.5 Students understand continuity and change. This is evident when students:
4.5.aaa. Analyze personal, family, systemic, cultural, environmental, historical,
and societal changes over time - both rapid, revolutionary changes and those
that evolve more slowly.

Arts, Language, and Literature
Artistic Proficiency
5.28 Students use art forms to communicate, showing the ability to define and
solve artistic problems with insight, reason, and technical proficiency. This
is evident when students:
5.28.aa. Communicate at a basic level in dance, music, theater, and visual arts.

History and Social Sciences
Causes and Effects in Human Societies
6.1 Students examine complex webs of causes and effects in relations to events
in order to generalize about the workings of human societies, and they apply
their findings to problems. This is evident when students:
6.1.d. Use knowledge of change and continuity in making decisions and taking
action on public issues

Types of Government
6.10 Students compare and evaluate the philosophical underpinnings and the workings
of different types of governments, including constitutional governments, in
various times in their local community, in Vermont, in the United States, and
in various locations world wide. This is evident when students:
6.10.aaa. Analyze how people organize and exercise political power in limited
governments (e.g. United States, Japan, India,) and unlimited governments (e.g.
20th Century totalitarian systems) and assess how each system has or has not
worked in practice as representative democracies or authoritarian regimes
6.10.bbb. Evaluate how political systems, including the American system, evolve;